Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-05-03
AN ELEPHANT DRIVE.
AN INTERESTING STORY OF ADvEN-
TURE IN INDIA.

TURE IN INDIA.
UnpAraIIeisd Event in the History of
Elephant sapiure-TorminE Lines Of
Fire Around the CaptiYe>-Iuck OF ;h.
Hunters.
Mr. G. SandcrSOn. the Superintendent Of
the government kheddahS at Dac,a, made
an unprecedented capture of elephants in the
Caro- hills The details OF this exploit are
described by Mr. Sanderson himself
The lith we began the drive in the fore
noon. The elephants Were contrary to our
expectation and to their habits hitherto, all
together in one large gathering. To oarrlve at
the Stnckadc they had first 10 reach a small,
level plauteau on the top Of hill, frCm
which thtv were to be detected 70 their loft
down a slope at the foot of which was the
stockade. well screened in the jungle, The
two guiding palisades or wings. cunversIng
10 the gate of the stocksde. were run
up the hillside the distance of some 2uO yards,
at fifty yar,is apart Three fire line, We're
made through the jungle across the space be
tween the guiding palisades. one joining them
at their extreme ends. half way down
and one about sixty yards from the gate. On
these lines dry grass was stacked in bundles
and hidden by green leaves, ready to he fired
when the elephants had crossed the paths
The drive WAS well managed the herd being
kept together and not overdriveg which often
causes herd 10 break up INTO mall parties
The moment the last mad crus sed the outer
most fire line the spies sounde their rattles,
and as if 10y magic Il had not spared few
dozen match boxes among the mem crack
ling line of flame extended along the hillside,
]" ny the extreme ends Of the pall>ade and
cutting off retreat. Immediately the hitherto
comparative silence of the drive was broken
by Yelling and blank firing from all sides,
and the elephants hurried forward III ii
crowd, no longer following any leader, but
each striving not 10 lie last. They soon
crr~sed the second fire line, and at signal
from foghorii-harely audible III the din Of
elephants and men-acuve fellows raced for
ward from both ends with torches, and III a
few seconds this line also was wall of fire.
The third IN was similarly fired when
the herd had pas ed, and no" the fun waNet
fast ami furious Some OF the elephants went
into the st"rka''e AT once, but huge male
with the r'ght tdss only 'such eiephants are
called Gunesh and certain casts Of hndoos
gateway, which was only eleven feet wide,
and no elephant could pass INN. The scene
now was eNtraordihsrl' and 'oi. and Mr..
"Fataih Shii'h. from platform III uee
near, had AN excellent view OF it. The space
between The cohNerg'ng palisades was tightly
/ packed by a struggling mass Of elephants for
many wards from The gate. Every Vestige OF
jungle had disappeared, ana the men were
SklIlIilsIIItN
"t blazing grass up to within t"en'y yards or
less oi Inc eielhhhlS, ana shower OF STICKS
and "i'dS WAS Kept up over the palisades by
Those outside me roaring "i the youngsters
oi the herd when We're BENG uainrIed and
sqnetzei' c"ihniiiei WIN 'he noise oi rattieS.
guns ana "i the IRE consuming Tie
jungle '"'"eeh the lailsa"'@ Ill tht
airecu"h whence 'he elephants han
come hiahe II iihp"%Sioie I" make one
sell heafH 10y any one even al ones eib"".
hred several 'hafses "i Shot INTO 'he rear
most "I the tiephahts' thouSh really l
thouShl theih Ht'le 10 oiaiiie ipl ho' moving
on IL was not Tor want OF VIII or pushing,
a the ahsi Oh the'r hihn iess as th'y hoied
desperately itlt" 'he ii'aes oei"te 'hehi lln'eiy
testiheu. Al lhst the opposition gave way
the "uhesh ana others "hich were stopping
the way were oorhe onward mt" the stockade
bS the pressure pehiild' ana lhe ahlihaS Ia
the rear made renewed eSeiti"iis TO get away
from the terfihie sights and SOUNDS 50 close
behihd tben-
heh saw the efephahts struggling De
lore Inc gate i never renewed that so many
'"o rs IL 'utheu ouu couln pN any possibility
get lhl" s'ockshe =l' lee' IN circumference
ne area was even less 'han that oil circle
"f similar circumference, as our >tockade>
nave 'hlr'"eh suaiSht SIDES OF hIteen ftet
ea'h ana 'he gate SIDE OF twenty ieet We
never expected our stocsaaeS "onia h"ih over
i"V tiet'hai''s, siN'H i've WAS the greatest
uui'"tI We ia" ever HtP"utue" 'eio'e'
th""Sh, hiu>t SAY theS ia" peh'N OF room
"heh Tue tt0i''ah'" was overcome ana 'hs
llilaI st'ugG" /" st' mo tne s'oFAaie '+Sah
me thliiS SEEMED ihii'o>sihie ai'ef seeing me
e'ePhaht> nan covering hii'siue OF lfoopihs
hi"iS III sihsie me. ohe wave 10 lhe man
VINO s'ooh over the gate rope Win MS AK, ana
'he p"haefonS gaze came do"h on 10 the
btcAS oI Ihe IhsI ie" elePhah's anu as tneS
sI IuSSie' rom uiluei At ailu iei' ihi" position
II was aHlchiI htshed pS many Wiling hahds
immediately eNerSh"dE went 10 "ork 10
strengthen tL' St"ckane IL was never reaiiS
I'll "aiiHeI' pu' we niaue hesui aiice u"HpiS
sure snppieihei'al s'ockahe was al once
"oiiiiiieheeu 10y nai tL'auliig OH twenty Safti'
"i 'he space Tween 'he guidfs pal'>ades
ou'si'e 'hs Sa'e- Inc eiel'hahIs were Pouhuen
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